From the Cellar
Bayten Chard and The Old Third Franc
15 Jul 2014- Details
- Category: Uncorked Tonight
(April 13, 2014) ... There are days when the actual day makes the wine, meaning the wine you want to drink is dictated by the weather or a multiptude of other reasons ... A beautiful 18C outside and we uncovered the BBQ to make a couple of steaks for dinner ... But before all that a Chardonnay was on the menu, Bayten 2012 Chardonnay to be exact, from South Africa, a surprise from the first sip to the last swallow: rich, creamy and buttery with the right amount of acidity to keep all that richness in check. With that bottle polished off I had to find something to accompany the steaks; and while not a conventional choice I opened my only bottle of The Old Third's 2011 Cabernet Franc, a little rarity made by a small winery in Prince Edward County, Ontario - the wine was almost Pinot-esque in flavours and color, light yet with great complexity ... I think it would have been better to start with the Franc, it was that light and the Chard was that heavy. Both wines were made by the beautiful day we drank them on and so it didn't really matter the order. I made a video about the Cabernet Franc, and you can check it out here; I can also tell you with certainty that while the 2011 is sold out the 2012 is going to be fantastic (I tasted a barrel sample last weekend).
